City of Beaverton Promotes National Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week

(BEAVERTON, Ore.) - Pause to consider these statistics: Beaverton has more than 1,290 foreclosed homes, which equates to nearly one in every 36 homes. Last year in the Beaverton School District, there were 1,580 homeless students and currently 37.1% of Beaverton's students are on free and reduced lunch benefits. In Washington County, one in every 382 people is homeless.

It is facts like these that have inspired the City of Beaverton to promote the National Hunger and Homelessness Awareness week from November 14 through November 20. In an effort to inform the community about the situation and resources available to those in need, the public is invited to the Beaverton Cares Open House featuring local organizations that provide Hunger and Homelessness Services in our community on Thursday, November 18 from 10:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the Beaverton City Library Conference Room (12375 SW 5th Street).

"The awareness week and open house will be great opportunities to spread the word about the many resources available to those who so desperately need them in our community," said Mayor Denny Doyle. "I encourage all our community members to find ways to help during this week and throughout the year."

Featured at the Beaverton Cares Open House:
* Booths from local service organizations with handouts and education material
* Informational displays showing the impact of hunger and homelessness in our community
* Informational Handouts on resources for "how to get help" and "how to help"
* Short films highlighting personal stories of people experiencing homelessness in Beaverton and across the country.

Promotion of local fundraising efforts hosted by Beaverton Cares:
* Collection of Blankets, Coats & Cots for the Beaverton Warming Shelter
* Collection of Oregon Food Bank Donations
* Promote Neighborhood Association Committee (NAC) and Beaverton Committee for Citizens Involvement (BCCI) Toy Drive for Tualatin Valley Gleaners and Gift Card Drive for the Beaverton School District Family Resource Center for homeless students.
* Promote Leadership Beaverton's Boxers for Beaverton - new, un-wrapped undergarments for school age children for St. Mary's Home for Boys and Beaverton School District Homeless Program, Clothes Closet.
* Skip a Meal - donate the money you would spend on a meal to a local organization serving the hungry. Suggested organizations can be found at www.BeavertonOregon.gov/BeavertonCares.

All donations should be taken to the Neighborhood Office on the first floor of City Hall (4755 SW Griffith Drive). For more information, please contact Lani Parr, Neighborhood Program Manager, at (503) 526-2243 or visit www.BeavertonOregon.gov/BeavertonCares.

ABOUT BEAVERTON CARES
The Beaverton Cares Awareness Program was developed by the Mayor's Neighborhood Program to raise awareness of the resources available to those in need and to identify ways neighbors could help neighbors.

ABOUT BEAVERTON
Beaverton was one of just four cities of its size recently recognized as a "Smarter City" energy leader by the Natural Resources Defense Council and one of the 100 Best Places to Live in America by Money Magazine. In addition, Beaverton has been named the safest city in the Pacific Northwest for three consecutive years, as one of the best places to raise kids by BusinessWeek magazine, an All-America City finalist, one of the 100 Best Walking Cities in America by Prevention Magazine, the Recycler of the Year from the Association of Oregon Recyclers, a Tree City USA, a Bronze Award Bicycle Friendly community designation by the League of American Bicyclists and as one of the Environmental Protection Agency's Green Power Communities. Beaverton also enjoys the most diverse population (by percentage of population) among Oregon cities. For more information, please visit www.beavertonoregon.gov.

Source: City of Beaverton Oregon